Buddleia plant named ‘Budcon1331’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Buddleia plant, referred to by its cultivar name, ‘Budcon1331’, is disclosed. The new variety displays medium lavender colored flowers and medium green colored foliage. Attractive moderately vigorous vegetative is formed. The growth habit is compact, well-branched, and upright. The new variety is well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in the landscape.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Buddleia davidii.

Variety denomination: ‘Budcon1331’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Buddleia davidii plant originated in a controlled breeding program in Guadalupe, Calif. during June 2015. The objective of the breeding program was the development of a series of Buddleia cultivars with compact and well-branched habits. The new cultivar was created by cross-pollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had been studied in the hope that they would contribute the desired characteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) was an unnamed breeder seedling variety (not patented). The male parent (i.e., the pollen parent) was the ‘Boscranz’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,730).

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows: unnamed breeder seedling x ‘Boscranz’

The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from the progeny resulting from the above-stated cross-pollination during July 2016 in a controlled environment in Guadalupe, Calif. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plant of the new variety.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation by terminal stem cuttings. Asexual propagation by terminal stem cuttings in Guadalupe, Calif. since August 2016 has shown that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and are strictly transmissible by such asexual propagation from one generation to another. Accordingly, the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true-to-type manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It was found that the new variety of Buddleia plant of the present invention:

-   -   (a) forms medium lavender colored flowers,     -   (b) displays medium green colored foliage, and     -   (c) exhibits a moderately vigorous, compact, well-branched, and         upright growth habit.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. It can be grown to advantage as ornamentation in parks, gardens, public areas, and in residential settings. Accordingly, the plant is particularly well suited for growing in the landscape.

The new variety of the present invention can readily be distinguished from its ancestors. More specifically, the unnamed breeding seedling (i.e., the seed parent) displays green-grey colored foliage and a mounded growth habit with low vigor, whereas the new variety provides medium green colored foliage and a well-branched and upright growth habit with moderate vigor. The ‘Boscranz’ variety (i.e., the pollen parent) displays dark cranberry colored flowers, whereas the new variety displays medium lavender colored flowers.

The new variety can also be distinguished from other similar varieties that are commercially available. For instance, the new variety of the present invention can readily be distinguished from the ‘Tobudviole’ variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,063), as the new cultivar displays better branching, a more compact growth habit and a deeper lavender flower color, as compared to plants of the ‘Tobudviole’ variety.

The new variety has been named ‘Budcon1331’.

The new variety was first sold in April 2021 by the inventor or by another who obtained the new variety directly or indirectly from the inventor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character, typical specimens of the plant and plant parts of the new variety. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of the ‘Budcon1331’ variety. The plants were grown in three-gallon pots for approximately one year outside at Cochranville, Pa. Plants were pinched once after transplant. Photographs were taken in August 2018.

FIG. 1—illustrates a specimen of the plant displaying the overall growth and flowering habit—side view.

FIG. 2—illustrates a specimen of an inflorescence—close-up view.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart), 2015 edition, London, England. The terminology which precedes reference to the chart has been added to indicate the corresponding color in more common terms. The color values were determined in July 2021 under natural light conditions in Cochranville, Pa. The description is based on the observation of plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in three-gallon containers for approximately one year in an outdoor nursery in Cochranville, Pa. Plants were pinched once after transplant.

-   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 14 days on             average.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 25             days on average.         -   Root description.—Fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant:     -   -   Habit.—Moderately vigorous, compact, well-branched, and             upright growth habit.         -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 2 months from a rooted             cutting to finish in a 3-gallon container on average.         -   Size.—Approximately 52.0 cm in height from soil level to top             of plant plane on average; and approximately 75.0 cm in             width on average. -   Branches:     -   -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances basal             branching,         -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—Approximately 10 on             average.         -   Strength.—Commonly strong, somewhat flexible, and becomes             woody with age.         -   Size.—Length: approximately 38.0 cm on average. — diameter:             approximately 5.0 mm on average. — length of central             internode: approximately 5.0 cm on average.         -   Texture.—Viscid, densely glandular pubescent.         -   Color.—Young stems: commonly near Yellow-Green Group 146C             with some coloring of near Grey-Brown Group 199B. — mature             stems: commonly near Greyed-Orange Group 177C. -   Foliage:     -   -   Number of leaves.—Approximately 27 per branch on average;             and approximately 10 per branched lateral stem on average.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Form.—Simple.         -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Durability to stress.—Moderate to high. -   Leaves:     -   -   Aspect.—Primarily perpendicular to stem.         -   Shape.—General: lanceolate to oblanceolate. — margin:             serrulate. — apex: acute. — base: attenuate.         -   Venation.—Pattern: pinnate, reticulate.         -   Size.—Length of mature leaf: approximately 12.0 cm on             average. — width of mature leaf: approximately 4.0 cm on             average.         -   Texture.—Upper and lower surfaces: pubescent,         -   Color.—Upper surface of mature foliage: commonly between             near Green Group 137A and 137B. — lower surface of mature             foliage: commonly near Greyed-Green Group 191A.         -   Petiole.—Shape: rounded, slightly curved. — length:             approximately 3.0 mm on average. — width: approximately 3.0             mm on average. — texture: densely pubescent with lanulose             hairs. — color: commonly near Greyed-Green Group 192B. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Quantity.—Approximately 22 open inflorescences per plant on             average; and approximately 500 flowers per inflorescence             opening from base to apex.         -   Type.—Terminal panicles, each panicle having about 2 to 4             branches on average; and flowers persistent, facing upward             and outward.         -   Shape.—Conical.         -   Fragrance.—Very faint.         -   Depth or height.—Approximately 12.0 to 15.0 cm on average.         -   Width.—Approximately 3.5 cm on average.         -   Rachis.—Strength: strong. — length: approximately 10.0 cm on             average. — diameter: approximately 2.0 mm on average. —             texture: pubescent with stellate hairs. — color: commonly             near Yellow-Green Group 146B. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Single, salverform.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: oblong. — length:             approximately 6.0 mm on average. — diameter: approximately             1.0 mm on average. — texture: glabrous. — color of petals:             commonly near Purple Group N75A.         -   Corolla.—Shape: rotate, commonly 4 petals arranged in a             single whorl. — depth: approximately 1.0 cm on average. —             width: approximately 8.0 mm on average.         -   Petals.—Shape: rotund. — margin: erosulate. — apex: rounded.             — length from throat: approximately 8.0 mm on average. —             width: approximately 3.0 mm on average. — texture of upper             and lower surfaces: glabrous. — color of upper and lower             surfaces when first and fully open: commonly near             Purple-Violet Group N81C.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: approximately 7.0 mm on average. —             width: approximately 1.0 mm on average. — diameter of throat             opening: approximately 1.0 mm on average. — inner surface:             texture is lightly pubescent and color is commonly near             Greyed-Orange Group N163B. — outer surface: texture is             glabrous and color is commonly near Red-Purple Group 63B.         -   Calyx.—Shape: tubular. — length: approximately 3.0 mm on             average. — diameter: approximately 1.0 mm on average.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower commonly 4 on average, fused at             base. — length: approximately 3.0 mm on average. — width:             commonly less than 1.0 mm. — apex: acute. — margin of free             portion: entire. — inner surface: — texture: glabrous. —             color: commonly near Yellow-Green Group 144C. — outer             surface: — texture: moderately pubescent. — color: commonly             near Yellow-Green Group 144C.         -   Pedicels.—Strength: strong, flexible. — length:             approximately 3.0 mm on average. — diameter: approximately             1.0 mm on average. — texture: densely pubescent with             stellate hairs. — color: commonly near Yellow-Green Group             146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium. — stamen: commonly 4 per             flower, completely adnate to corolla. — anther: shape is             lanceolate; length is approximately 1.0 mm on average; and             color is commonly near Yellow Group 11C. — pollen: amount is             moderate; coloration is commonly near Yellow Group 11C. —             gynoecium: — pistil: commonly 1 per flower; length is             approximately 2.0 mm on average. — stigma: shape is cleft,             two-parted; length is approximately 1.0 mm on average; color             is commonly near Yellow-Green Group 144A. — style: length is             approximately 1.0 mm; color is commonly near Yellow-Green             Group 1456, opaque. — ovary: length is approximately 1.5 mm;             color is commonly near Yellow-Green Group 145A. — seed and             fruit: none have been observed to date. -   Development:     -   -   Blooming.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing conditions             with substantially continuous blooming from late spring             through mid-fall.         -   Lastingness of individual flower.—Approximately 5 days on             average.         -   Tolerance to disease and pest.—Not observed to date.

The new ‘Budcon1331’ variety has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental conditions. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Buddleia plant named ‘Budcon1331’ characterized by the following combination of characteristics: (a) forms medium lavender colored flowers, (b) displays medium green colored foliage, and (c) exhibits a moderately vigorous, compact, well-branched, and upright growth habit; substantially as herein shown and described. 